JP2013516738A - Male connector, female connector and connector arrangement - Google Patents

Abstract

  The present invention relates to a male connector, a female connector, and a connector arrangement comprising a male and a female connector, the male connector having a first connector body 14 having electrical contacts 54, 56, the electrical contacts 54, 56 being free of the first connector body. The first connector body has a free end 58 that extends toward the insertion end 44 and is elastically deformable, the first connector body extending in the insertion direction and extending outward in the lateral direction. A free end of an electrical contact of the first connector body having a plug portion 18 with a hook-like extension 46, the hook-like extension being elastically biased outward to engage the first hook-like extension. Cover the part. The female connector has a second connector body 16 with electrical contacts 98, 100, the electrical contacts having a free end 104 that extends toward the insertion end and is elastically deformable, The socket 90 has an insertion opening surrounding the electrical contact, the edge 90 defines this opening with a further hook-like extension 92 extending radially inward, the hook-like extension being a second connector Covering the free end of the body electrical contact, the electrical contact is resiliently biased inward so as to engage the hook-like extension.

Description

  The present invention relates to the field of connectors, and in particular, to male connectors, female connectors, and connector arrangements having such male and female connectors.

  Connectors are used in a variety of applications to connect these electrical components to send electrical energy or data between the components. Such a connector is used to connect different electrical devices as a single unit to each other, to connect each of these single units to a power transmission network or to a network for data exchange. Can be used to provide a connection between such units to form

  In order to provide a reliable electrical connection even under harsh conditions, the electrical contacts can be included in a connector body that protects the tips that are susceptible to damage to the electrical contacts. This is especially the case for connectors for providing data exchange connections, such connectors may have a large number of electrical contacts that can be easily damaged when different connector parts are connected to each other. is there. Typically, such a connector may be provided as a male connector with a connector body, the male connector being provided to be inserted into the second connector body of the female connector, or the respective female The connector includes a receiving portion that receives another connector body of the male connector.

  As previously mentioned, the electrical contacts are advantageously located within the respective male and female connectors so that their tips are protected from damage. For example, document US A-6,007,361 discloses a connector arrangement consisting of two connector parts in which a male connector body has a central plug part and electrical contacts are arranged on both sides of the plug part. On the contrary, the female connector part has a socket part for receiving the plug part, and the electrical contact of the female connector body is arranged on the inner side wall of the socket part. When both connector parts are connected to each other, the electrical contacts engage each other by sliding along their respective surfaces. A connector of the above kind is a universal connector for connecting each medical electrical unit, i.e. establishing a data connection and power between the respective components of the system for monitoring the vital functions of the patient. Become. Obviously, in this field of application, the high reliability of data connections has a high priority. The connector arrangement according to this document further comprises means for fixing the two connector parts to each other.

  The problem of establishing a reliable mechanical connection between the two connector bodies is adequately solved by this arrangement, but the problem remains that the tips of the electrical contacts are damaged when the two connector parts are pushed together. . A slight misalignment of the contact tips can cause unwanted interference at the contact ends, and can be sufficient to cause their deformation and the like. This is because once an electrical contact of the first connector is damaged, the damaged contact may further damage the other contacts in the respective complementary connectors of the other connector arrangement. Damage may spread by connecting one connector to another connector.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a connector that is well protected from damage to electrical contacts when the connector is connected to other connectors without compromising the overall design of the connector or its convenience. In addition, complementary designs that can be interconnected to form a connector arrangement in which the electrical contacts of the male and female connectors are well protected, even when used in light or harsh conditions. It is a particular object of the present invention to provide a male connector and a female connector having the same.

  These objects are achieved by a male connector having the features of claim 1, a female connector having the features of claim 5, and a connector arrangement having the features of claim 9.

  A male connector according to the present invention has a first (male) connector body provided to be inserted into a second (female) connector body of a female connector. Once connected, these male and female connectors form a connector arrangement, and the respective electrical contacts of the male and female connectors engage each other to establish an electrical connection.

  The connector body of the male connector has electrical contacts extending towards the free end of the connector body that are provided to be inserted into the female connector body of the other connector. The electrical contact comprises a free end that is elastically deformable. The male connector has a plug portion that extends in the insertion direction and includes a hook-like extension at its free end extending radially outward, that is, in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction. In one possible arrangement, the hook-like extension extends on both sides of the plug part.

  These hook-shaped extensions are arranged so as to cover the free tips or ends of the electrical contacts. The contact is elastically biased outward so as to engage the hook-like extension. This engagement can be provided by contact between the tip of the electrical contact and the tooth-like structure forming the end of the hook-like extension.

  When viewed from the free insertion end of the male connector body, the tip of the electrical contact is located behind the hook-like extension and is protected from any interference or mechanical damage. The outer surface of the electrical contact is still free to contact the complementary electrical contact of the female connector. When the male and female connectors are pushed together, the sides of the female electrical contact can slide on the respective sides of the male electrical contact to establish an electrical connection. However, there is no risk of tip collision or interference that is susceptible to contact damage.

  According to one preferred embodiment of the male connector, the plug portion of the first connector main body has a narrow detail whose cross section narrows toward the insertion end of the plug portion. This narrow detail is defined by the wedge surfaces of the electrical contacts of the first connector body in the assembled state of the first and second connector bodies.

  In one preferred embodiment, the plug portion has a central plug member inserted between the two wedge members, the central plug member extending beyond the end of the wedge member and hooked at its free end. With an extension of. The electrical contacts are arranged on both sides of the wedge member.

  This embodiment shows a modular arrangement of plug parts consisting of a central plug member and wedge members on both sides that support electrical contacts on the sides.

  In another preferred embodiment, the free end of the electrical contact of the first connector body comprises an outwardly curved section.

  These curved sections serve to improve the engagement between the electrical contacts of the first connector and the complementary electrical contacts of the second connector, which may also comprise such a curved section. Each curved section slides along each other when a mechanical connection between the first and second connectors is established.

  According to a second aspect of the invention, the female connector has a second (female) connector body provided to receive the first (male) connector body by insertion into the second connector body. The electrical contact of the second connector body includes a free end that extends toward the free insertion end and is elastically deformable. Unlike the first connector body described above, the second connector body has a socket portion that surrounds the electrical contact and has an insertion opening at its free insertion end. The edge that defines the opening includes hook-like extensions that extend radially inward. These second hook-shaped extensions are arranged to cover the free ends of the electrical contacts of the second connector body, and are elastically attached to the inside to engage the second hook-shaped extensions. Be forced.

  The hook-like extension protects the tip of the electrical contact of the second connector body like the first hook-like extension of the plug portion of the first connection body described according to the first aspect of the present invention. . Therefore, in the first and second connector bodies, they are provided with both hook-like extensions in their mating portions for insertion / accommodation of each other connector body, and each hook-like extension Is common to form the covering of the tip of the electrical contact. In the second connector, the second hook-shaped extension portion surrounds the insertion opening of the socket portion.

  In a preferred embodiment of the female connector, the socket portion has a widened portion in which the free cross section in the socket portion widens toward the insertion opening of the socket portion. The widened portion is defined by a wedge surface for supporting the electrical contacts of the second connector body in the assembled state of the first connector body and the second connector body.

  When the male and female connectors are assembled, the electrical contacts of the female connector are supported on their back side by a wedge surface to determine the extent of their bending movement in the outward direction, making the reliability for the electrical contact A high seat is generated.

  According to another preferred embodiment of the female connector, the socket part has a wedge member that forms an inner wall of the socket part and is inserted into a peripheral socket member that forms an outer wall of the socket part, and the peripheral socket member Extends beyond the end of the wedge member and provides an edge defining an insertion opening, the wedge member provides a wedge surface of the widened portion, and the electrical contact of the second connector body is formed by the wedge member Arranged on the inner wall.

  Preferably, the free end portion of the electrical contact of the second connector body includes an inwardly curved section.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the connector arrangement includes the male connector and the female connector described above, and the first connector body of the male connector has the electrical contacts of the first and second connector bodies engaged with each other. To be inserted into the second connector body of the female connector.

  According to a preferred embodiment of this connector arrangement, the first connector body has a female receptacle provided to surround the plug portion and receive the socket portion of the second connector body.

  This female receptacle is provided as a mechanical seat that receives the socket portion and provides additional strength for mechanical accommodation between the respective connectors in the arrangement.

  These and other aspects of the invention are apparent from and will be elucidated with reference to the embodiments described hereinafter.

The figure which shows the cross section of the male connector by one embodiment of this invention. The figure which shows the cross section of the female connector by one embodiment of this invention. The female connector is provided to be connected to the male connector of FIG. FIG. 3 is a view showing a cross section of a connector arrangement including a male connector according to FIG. 1 and a female connector according to FIG. FIG. 4 shows the connector arrangement according to FIG. 3 in a connected state. The male connector is fully inserted into the female connector to establish an electrical connection.

  The connector arrangement according to the invention has a male connector 10 shown in FIG. 1 and a female connector 12 shown in FIG. The male connector and the female connector 12 can be connected by pushing their respective connector bodies together so that the electrical contacts contained within the respective connector bodies engage each other. In this case, the male connector 10 and the female connector 12 are provided as connectors of a medical electrical unit. For example, the connector arrangement according to FIGS. 3 and 4 can be used to establish a data connection for data exchange between respective electrically independent units.

  In the following, the male connector 10 will be described with reference to FIG. This male connector 10 has a connector body indicated generally by the reference numeral 14 and described below as a first connector body 14. This first connector body 14 is provided to be inserted into the second connector body 16 of the female connector 12 according to FIG. The insertion direction of the first connector body 14 corresponds to the vertical direction in FIG. 1, that is, the first connector body 14 is pushed downward in order to be connected to the second connector body 16.

  The first connector body 14 is constructed symmetrically with respect to the central axis corresponding to the insertion direction, i.e. perpendicular to FIG. The plug portion 18 is disposed on the central axis to form a central male portion of the first connector body 14. The plug portion 18 is received in the opening 20 in the large base portion 22 of the first connector body 14 and is directed downwardly from the base portion 22 to a gap 24 delimited by the outer wall 26 of the first connector body 14. To grow. These outer walls 26 form a female housing part 26.

  The plug part 18 mainly has three parts, that is, a central plug member 28 extending from the base part 22 in the insertion direction and two wedge members 30 and 32. More specifically, the plug member 28 is inserted between the two wedge members 30, 32, and all three elements 28, 30, 32 are fitted into the opening 20 of the base portion 22, and from there the gap 24 Extending into. In their extending direction, the two wedge members 30, 32 narrow towards their ends, forming a wedge surface 38 in this narrow detail. In other words, the cross-sections of the two wedge members 30, 32 become smaller towards their ends. Conversely, the central plug member maintains its cross section along the entire extension length of the wedge members 30 and 32 from the opening.

  The wedge surface 38 defines a narrow detail of the plug part 18 in the gap 24, whereby the cross section of the plug part 18 decreases in the insertion direction. Plug member 28 extends beyond the ends of wedge members 30, 32 such that plug portion 18 has a free insertion end 44 formed by the free end of central plug member 28. In the free insertion end portion 44, the plug member 28 has a hook-like extension portion 46 extending from both sides of the plug portion 18 in the lateral direction, that is, in a direction perpendicular to the insertion direction. These hook-shaped extensions 46 are formed integrally with the plug member 28.

  Each of the hook-shaped expansion portions 46 includes a flat wall portion 50 extending in the lateral direction, and a tooth-like structure 52 extending from a side end of the flat wall portion 50 in the direction opposite to the direction of the base portion 22, that is, the insertion direction. Have In general, the cross section of the plug portion 18 is shaped like a flipped mushroom whose umbrella is formed by an insertion end 44 having a hook-like extension 46.

  On both sides of the plug portion, the electrical contacts 54, 56 extend through the opening 20 in the base portion 22 along the wedge members 30, 32 toward the insertion end 44 of the plug portion 18. Starting from the back side of the base 22 opposite the insertion end 44, the electrical contacts 54, 56 extend into the opening 20 in intimate contact with both sides of the wedge members 30, 32. Within the gap 24, the electrical contacts 54, 56 are spaced from the wedge surface 38 and have a free end 58 that is elastically deformable. That is, the free ends 58 can bend toward the plug portion 18 until they contact the wedge portion 38. The wedge portion 38 has a function of supporting the electrical contacts 54 and 56 in a bent state.

  The tips of the electrical contacts 54, 56 are located behind the tooth-like structure 52 of the hook-like extension 46, and the free end 58 is outside to engage the tooth-like structure 52 of the hook-like extension 46. Is elastically biased. Due to this engagement, the free ends 58 of the electrical contacts 54 and 56 are slightly bent inward along the insertion direction of the male connector 10.

  Near the tip, the electrical contacts 54, 56 have outwardly curved sections 62 to improve the engagement of the electrical contacts 54, 56 with the electrical contacts of the female connector described below. On the back of the base 22 opposite the free insertion end 44, the electrical contacts 54, 56 have a square section 64 that is connected to a conductor such as a cable as known in the state of the art.

  In the following, the female connector 12 will be described with reference to FIG. The female connector 12 has a second connector body 16 that is provided to receive the first connector body of the male connector 10 by insertion of the first connector body 14 into the second connector body 16. For this reason, the second connector body 16 can also be understood as a female connector body that receives the male first connector body 14.

  The second connector main body 16 has a socket portion 72 formed by an outer socket member 74 formed integrally with the base portion 76 of the second connector main body 16, and inner wedge members 78, 80 of the socket portion 72. The wedge members 78, 80 form the inner wall of the socket part 72. The wedge members 78, 80 extend from the back side of the female connector 12, that is, from the side opposite to the insertion end thereof, through the opening 82 of the base portion 76 to the accommodation space 84 surrounded by the socket portion 72. . In the accommodation space 84, the wedge members 78, 80 have narrow details that their cross-sections become narrower toward the insertion end of the wedge members 78, 80. The narrow details of the wedge members 78, 80 are defined inside by the wedge surface 88 and accommodate in the socket portion 72 which widens the free cross section in the socket portion 72 (ie the accommodating space 84) towards the insertion end of the female connector 12. The range of the widened portion of the space 84 is determined.

  The peripheral socket member 74 extends beyond the end of the wedge member 80 toward the insertion end of the female connector 12 and provides an edge 90 that defines the opening of the socket portion 72. More specifically, the edge 90 that defines the insertion opening includes hook-shaped extensions 92 that extend laterally inward and face each other on opposite sides of the socket portion 72. Each of these hook-shaped extensions 92 has a wall portion 94 extending in the lateral direction, and a tooth-like structure 96 extending toward the base portion 76 on the back side of the wall portion 94. In general, the hook-shaped extension portion 92 of the second connector body 16 of the female connector body 12 corresponds to the cross section of the hook-shaped extension portion 46 of the plug portion 18 of the first connector body 14. This further indicates that the wedge members 78, 80 of the second connector body 16 mainly correspond to the cross-section of the wedge members 30, 32 provided in the first connector body 14 of the male connector 10.

  As with the male connector 10 described above, electrical contacts 98, 100 are provided in the second connector body 16 and from the back of the second connector body 16 through the base portion 76 and into the socket portion 72. Extending into the storage space 84 of the Within the base portion 76, the electrical contacts 98, 100 are fitted into the second connector body 16 by the central plug member 102 such that the electrical contacts 98, 100 are between the plug member 102 and the wedge members 78, 80. . Within the widened portion of the second connector body 16 defined by the wedge surface 88, the electrical contacts 98, 100 have a free end 104, the free end 104 being outward until they are supported by the wedge surface 88. It is elastically deformable and can be spaced from the wedge surface 88 so that it can bend.

  The tips of the electrical contacts 98 and 100 are engaged with the tooth-like structure 96 of the hook-shaped extension 92 by the biasing force of the free end 104 that biases the tips inward. Further, the free end 104 includes a section 108 curved inwardly, and corresponds to a section 62 curved outward of the electrical contacts 54 and 56 of the male connector 10. The electrical contacts 98, 100 of the female connector 12 include a square end portion 110 on the back side of the base portion 76 connected to a conductor such as a cable.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the insertion opening of the socket part 72 is the insertion end of the first connector body 14 of the male connector 10 so that the plug part 18 can move to the accommodating space 84 in the socket part 72. Has a sufficiently wide cross-section to accept 44. Further, the lateral cross section of the gap 24 in the female housing portion 26 of the first connector body 14 is sufficiently wide to accept the socket portion 72. On its outer side, the peripheral socket member 72 has a sealing member 112 that provides a tightly closed connection between the socket member 72 and the inner wall of the female receptacle 26.

  When observed from the insertion end 44 in the direction toward the base portion 22 of the first connector body 14, the tips of the electrical contacts 54, 56 are covered with a hook-like extension 46 at the insertion end 44 of the plug portion 18. This means that when the male connector 10 is connected to the female connector 12, the tip is protected from being damaged. On the other hand, the side surfaces of the electrical contacts 54 and 56 in the gap 24 on both sides of the plug portion 18 are free to be contacted by the respective electrical contacts 98 and 100 of the female connector 12. This is because when the plug part 18 is pushed into the socket part 72, the section 62 curved outward of the electrical connectors 54, 56 can easily come into contact with the section 108 curved inward of the electrical contacts 98, 100. It can be seen from FIG. In the contact state shown in FIG. 3, when the male connector 10 and the female connector 12 are further pushed in, the electrical contacts 54, 56 and 98, 100 bend slightly against their restoring force. When the outwardly curved section 62 and the inwardly curved section 108 pass through each other as shown in FIG. 4, the free ends 58, 104 of the electrical contacts 54, 56, 98, 100 are hook-shaped. The teeth 46 and 92 can be further urged inward and outward in the lateral direction with respect to the tooth-like structures 52 and 96, respectively. When the connection between the male connector and the female connector 12 is established, the insertion end portion 44 of the plug portion 18, the plug member 102, and the female accommodating portion 26 completely surround the socket portion 72. In this situation, in the socket part 72, the free ends 58 of the electrical contacts 54, 56 are supported by the wedge surfaces 38 of the wedge members 30, 32, and the free ends 104 of the electrical contacts 98, 100 of the female connector 12 are wedge members. Supported by 78, 80 wedge surfaces 88.

  The sensitive tips of the electrical contacts 64, 56, 98, 100 are reliably protected from contact with the other tips of the electrical contacts of the other connectors by their hook-like extensions 46, 92. On the other hand, a reliable electrical connection between the electrical contacts of the connector arrangement is on the sides of the electrical contacts 54, 56, 98, 100 that slide on each other when the male connector 10 and the female connector 12 are pushed together. It is clear from the above description and the corresponding figures that it can be easily established. This means that the mechanical and electrical connections in the connector arrangement shown in FIG. 4 can be easily and safely established without any risk of damaging the electrical contacts 54, 56, 98, 100. means.

  While the invention has been illustrated and described in detail in the drawings and foregoing description, such illustration and description are to be considered illustrative or exemplary and not restrictive. The invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments. From a review of the drawings, the disclosure and the appended claims, other variations to the disclosed embodiments can be understood and carried out by those skilled in the art in practicing the claimed invention. In the claims, terms such as “comprising” and “including” do not exclude other elements or steps, and the singular expression does not exclude a plurality. The mere fact that certain measures are recited in mutually different dependent claims does not indicate that a combination of these measures cannot be used to benefit. Any reference signs in the claims should not be construed as limiting the scope.

Claims (10)

A first connector body provided to be inserted into a second connector body of a female connector, wherein the first connector body extends toward a free insertion end of the first connector body and has a free end portion that is elastically deformable. A first connector body having an electrical contact, and a plug portion extending in an insertion direction of the first connector body, the plug portion having a first hook-shaped extension at a free end radially extending outward. And
The first hook-shaped extension covers the free end of the electrical contact of the first connector body that is elastically biased outward so as to engage the first hook-shaped extension; Male connector.   The plug portion of the first connector main body has a narrow detail whose cross section narrows toward the insertion end of the plug portion, and the narrow detail is an assembled state of the first connector main body and the second connector main body. The connector of claim 1, defined by a wedge surface for supporting the electrical contacts of the first connector body.   The plug portion has a central plug member inserted between two wedge members, and the central plug member extends beyond an end of the wedge member, and the first hook-shaped extension at a free end thereof The connector according to claim 2, wherein the electrical contact of the first connector body is disposed on both sides of the wedge member.   The connector according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the free end portion of the electrical contact of the first connector body includes an outwardly curved section. A second connector body having a second connector body provided to receive the first connector body of the male connector by insertion into the second connector body;
The second connector body has an electrical contact that extends toward a free insertion end of the second connector body and includes an elastically deformable free end,
The second connector body includes a socket portion that surrounds the electrical contact and includes an insertion opening portion at a free insertion end and an edge defining the opening portion including a second hook-shaped extension portion extending radially inwardly. Have
The second hook-shaped extension covers the free end of the electrical contact of the second connector body that is elastically biased inward to engage the second hook-shaped extension.
Female connector. The socket portion of the second connector body has a widened portion in which a free cross section in the socket portion widens toward the insertion opening of the socket portion, and the widened portion includes the first connector body and the first connector. 6. The connector according to claim 5, defined by a wedge surface for supporting the electrical contacts of the second connector body in the assembled state of the two connector bodies. The socket part has a wedge member that forms an inner wall of the socket part and is inserted into a peripheral socket member that forms an outer wall of the socket part;
The peripheral socket member extends beyond an end of the wedge member and provides an edge defining the insertion opening;
The wedge member provides the wedge surface of the widened portion;
The connector according to claim 6, wherein the electrical contact of the second connector body is disposed on an inner wall formed by the wedge member.   The connector according to any one of claims 5 to 7, wherein the free end portion of the electrical contact of the second connector body includes an inwardly curved section.   It has the male connector as described in any one of Claims 1-4, and the female connector as described in any one of Claims 5-8, The said 1st connector main body and the said 2nd connector main body The connector arrangement is provided such that a first connector body of the male connector is inserted into a second connector body of the female connector such that their respective electrical contacts engage one another.   The connector arrangement according to claim 9, wherein the first connector body has a female receiving portion that is provided to surround the plug portion and receive the socket portion of the second connector body.

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